This invention relates to a fixing device for receiving and attaching operating elements to the faceplate of hearing devices or hearing aids.
The present invention further relates to a hearing device or hearing aid with a faceplate and a housing shell arranged to the faceplate, the faceplate comprising at least one opening for the receiving of an operating element.
The present invention further relates to a method for attaching operating elements with the faceplate of hearing devices or hearing aids.
Hearing devices or hearing aids usually have operating elements to be operated manually from the outside such as switches, turn-switches and push-buttons. Those operating elements will have to be handled during operation of the devices and are therefore arranged at the faceplate of the respective devices, e.g. of in-the-ear hearing devices that are arranged within the ear canal for its use. The operating elements will have to be electrically connected to the electrical or electronic components of the respective hearing device or hearing aid, usually by using leads or wires.
As the faceplates are regularly individually shaped or made for the respective user and the ratio of returns of such hearing devices or hearing aids is relatively high because most problems relating to the compatibility or wearing comfort occur during the first wearing or fitting phase, most of the components of the hearing device or hearing aid should be able to be re-used again. That concern electronic components attached electrically to the faceplate on one hand and operation elements if applicable on the other hand.
The operating elements will usually be plugged-in from the outside into the faceplate and connected to the faceplate by adhesives. The disadvantage of this easy kind of attachment of the operating elements is that the operating elements cannot be non-destructive disengaged from the faceplate and thus may not be re-used. Furthermore, the hardening of the adhesive has to be waited before further processing, as the operating element concerned could be unintentionally displaced or loosen from its destined position. A pollution of the operating element may not be excluded by the adhesive and thus may lead to a derogation of the mechanical and/or electrical function of the operating element.
An alternative solution for the mechanical attachment especially of potentiometers for above described hearing devices is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,835,833. A metal ring will thus be shifted onto the lower section of the housing of the potentiometer and will be inserted together with the potentiometer into an opening of the faceplate having a respective receiving diameter. Circumferential arranged rims at the metal ring serve as fixing means to the faceplate for both potentiometer and the metal ring. Thus, a stable connection between the potentiometer and the faceplate will be achieved without the use of adhesives. However, this connection, as well as the already mentioned connection using adhesives, may practically not be non-destructively disengaged afterwards.
A further disadvantage of all commonly known solutions is that the connecting wiring of the operating elements with electronic components will have to be disengaged by time-consuming, manual de-soldering. The faceplate has therefore first to be detached from the housing shell of the hearing device, as the operating elements may not be non-destructively detached from the faceplate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,371 is also showing a further device for the attachment of a potentiometer to the faceplate of a hearing device whereas the potentiometer is plugged-in from the outside into the faceplate and may afterwards be detached if required. Therefore, an additional adapter will be connected to the faceplate with electrical contacts for resiliently receiving electrical contacts of the potentiometer. This plug-in connection for establishing the electrical contact disadvantageously is prone to corrosion and pollution that may lead to malfunctions. Furthermore, the complex structure of the adapter may practically not be removed from the faceplate without extraordinary effort.